KATHMANDU: Australian Ambassador to Nepal Susan Grace paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai at the latter’s office in Singha Durbar on Monday. Ambassador Grace thanked the Government of Nepal for supporting Australia in its bid to become a temporary member of the United Nations Security Council for 2013-014. The Foreign Ministry said discussion was held on the issues of mutual help and interests and the sectors Australia wanted to invest in Nepal during the meeting. — RSS

Additional portfolio

KATHMANDU: Minister for Education Dinanath Sharma has been given additional portfolio of Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment as well during the absence of Minister for Science, Technology and Environment Keshav Man Shakya, according to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. Minister Shakya left for Doha of Qatar to attend the COP 18, also known as UN Climate Change Conference being held from November 26. — RSS

Prez to unveil statues

KATHMANDU: Statues of Goddess Saraswoti, social worker Harihar Upadhyay and teacher Pundit Dadhiram Marasini will be unveiled by the President to celebrate the diamond jubilee of Harihar Sanskrit and General Higher Secondary School of Arghakhanchi district on December 12. Social worker Upadhyay had established the school in 1994 BS at Pokharathok VDC. Entrepreneurs of Lumbini Builders, Bishnu Prasad Sharma and Lanka Bahadur KC had provided financial assistance for building the statues. The statues, by sculptor Prithvi Narayan Shrestha of Lalitpur, will be installed on December 5, said litterateur Modnath Prashrit. — RSS

Three gamblers held

KATHMANDU: Police in civil dress on Monday caught three Nepalis from Casino Anna while they were gambling. A police team led from Kathmandu Metropolitan Police Range arrested Sudip Joshi (34) and Lalit Budha (23) of Lazimpat and Rajan Pathak (23) of Dhameli Kuwa of Lamjung with casino chips. They have been kept in the custody at Kathmandu Metropolitan Police Range.

Two hurt in collision

KATHMADU: Two motorcycles coming from opposite directions collided on Monday at the Padmodaya mode in Putalisadak, injuring four people. Niraj Maharjan and pillion-rider Gobinda Maharjan and Rajkumar Timilsina and Pillion rider Sagar Khadki were injured.— HNS.